Storage and display shelving structure



May 4, 1965 .1. c. DUNHAM STORAGE AND DISPLAY SHELVING STRUCTURE Filed Aug. 14. 1962 United States Patent 3,181,703 STORAGE AND DISPLAY SHELVIN G STRUCTURE John C. Dunham, Aurora, IlL, assignor to Aurora Equipment Company, Aurora, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Aug. 14, 1962, Ser. No. 216,870 Claims. (Cl. 211-126) The present invention relates generally to a cabinet and more particularly to a cabinet having a series of drawers in which parts such as bolts, nuts and the like can be readily stored.

It is conventional in cabinets for storing metal parts and the like that the drawers be mounted in the cabinet in such a way that the contents of the drawers are concealed except when the drawers are moved to an open position. This type of cabinet structure is not particularly well suited for the storage of large numbers of different type of parts as each drawer must be provided with indicia to identify the contents disposed therein and the operator is required to analyze the indicia on the drawers and open the selected drawer before being able to select the desired part. It is also conventional to manufacture special types of parts bins or drawers with hooks and hang them from a web.

The problem solved by the present invention was the development of a system for mounting conventional types of drawers on a rack in such a way that the owner of drawers which have been purchased years ago, can now purchase the instant rack and the old or new drawers may be immediately end suspended from the rack. Thus, the purchaser of the rack may be saved the expense of replacing the parts drawers he may already own for the old type drawers can be mounted on the rack as well as any additional new drawers that may be needed.

Accordingly, a very important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved device for the end suspension of rack drawers on a rack.

An important object of this invention is to provide a new and improved drawer mounting device which can be readily adapted for use by the industry and which can be used with conventional type drawers which have been sold in large numbers for many years so that drawer owners will not be required to purchase new drawers for the cabinet or drawer rack.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a simple and economical drawer rack which may be conveniently manufactured on a large production basis.

According to another important feature of this invention, the cabinet or shelving structure has a series of channel brackets mounted in vertically spaced relation on angled uprights with each of the brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel leg at its front lower end and a series of drawers are mounted on said brackets in such a way that each of the drawers are suspended from an upper end from one of the chan nels with its bottom carried on the forwardly and downwardly sloped channel leg and with the drawer having a rear wall hooked behind the downwardly projecting drawer support flange.

According to still further important features of this invention, the rear wall of the drawer has a vertical dimension in excess of the distances between a lower edge of the drawer support flange and the downwardly sloped channel leg whereby the drawer may be detached from the channel by elevating a forward end of the drawer and by moving the rear end of the drawer downwardly and out of engagement with the downwardly projecting drawer support flange.

Yet another important feature of this invention relates to the provision of means on the forwardly and down- 3,l8l,73 Patented May 4, 1965 wardly sloped channel leg for reinforcing the same so that this leg can be of the smallest possible gauge of material and yet have adequate strike for carrying the load of the drawers.

Other objects and features of this invention will become more apparent in view of the following detailed description illustrating a single embodiment in which:

FIGURE 1 is a prospective view of a cabinet or shelving structure according to important features of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical section showing the technique of mounting a drawer of FIGURE 1 on the rack;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical section similar to FIGURE 2 only illustrating a different sized drawer mounted on the cabinet structure; and

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged vertical section showing a modified type of shelving structure.

As shown on the drawings:

The reference numeral 10 indicates generally a cabinet or shelving structure and its components may be made of many suitable materials such as sheet metal or the like. The structure 10 includes a rack 11 which comprises a pair of angular uprights or angles 12. Each angle 12 is provided with a pair of legs 12a and 12b and each leg has a series of holes 12c.

Mounted on the angles 12 are a series of vertically spaced generally U-shaped channel brackets 13. Suitable fasteners 14 are presently illustrated as comprising bolts 14a and nuts 14b, and are provided for securing opposite ends of each of the brackets 13 with the angle legs 12b in bolted assembly together.

Brackets 13 each include a base channel leg 13a, an upper channel leg 13b, a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange 130, an inwardly projecting terminal channel bracket leg 13d, 21 forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg 13a, and a reinforcing bead 13 turned underneath and secured with the legs 13c.

Also mounted on the rack 11 is a series of Vertically spaced downwardly angled drawers 15. As illustrated, the drawers are mounted in side-by-side relation, however, it will be appreciated that any suitable number of drawers may be mounted on each of the channel brackets 13, as desired. Each of the drawers has a bottom 15a and a rear Wall or rear drawer flange 15b projecting upwardly from the bottom. The drawers may be of any suitable size, shape or type, as desired. Different types of conventional drawers which are already widely owned throughout the country may be mounted on the rack 11. One conventional type of drawer that can be readily mounted on the rack 11 is shown in the T. M. Dunham Patent No. 2,754,- 025. Another conventional type of drawer that can be mounted on the rack 11 is shown in the R. W. Sittler Patent No. 2,888,160. Still another conventional type of drawer that can be mounted on the rack 11 is shown in the R. W. Sittler Patent No. 2,897,997.

Any suitable type of drawer can be mounted on the channel brackets 13 so long as the drawer has a for wardly facing wall area 15b which can be engaged by the downwardly angled bracket leg and/or the inwardly extending leg 13d. When the drawer is mounted on the channel 13, the drawer bottom 15a is in flush engagement with the bracket leg 13c and the engagement between the drawer area 15b and the channel bracket legs 13c and/0r 13d function to prevent the drawer 15 from sliding off of the leg 13a. To mount the drawer 15 on the channel bracket 13, the drawer can be moved toward the channel bracket 13 generally in a horizontal plane until its wall area 1511 is disposed behind the legs 13d and within the confines of the channel whereupon the the rack 11 is provided with means to hold the angles in an upright position. As illustrated, the means include .a

cross-piece 16, a left hand foot bracket 17, and a right hand foot bracket 18. inner ends 17a and 18a secured with the angle legs 12a by means of suitable fasteners 19 such as nuts and bolts.

The foot brackets 17 and 18 have opposite ends 17b and 18b secured with the cross-piece 16 by means of suitable fasteners 19'. r

Shown in FIGURE 3 is a drawer 15' generally of the type shown in the T. M. Dunham Patent No. 2,754,025. The drawer 15' is mounted on a rack 11 which is identical to the rack 11 except that its channels 13' aresmaller than the channels 13 (FIGS. 1 and 2) in order to be adapted to secure the smaller sized drawer 15' having flange 15b in assembly with the rack'11 in the same manner already described in the first form of my invention.

In FIGURE 4 is shown a modified type of shelving structure indicated generally at The shelvingstruc- The brackets 17 and 18 have.

ture 10 includes a rack 11" which is identical to the v rack 11 except that a diflerent type of U-shaped channel bracket 13" is mounted thereon. i

The channel bracket 13" includes an upper channel leg 13b", a downwardly'projecting drawer support channel bracket flange 13c", and an outwardlyprojecting terminal channel bracket leg 13d". In other words, the leg 13d extends away from the channel rather'than into the channel as wasthe case with the leg 13d shown in FIGURE 2. The drawer has its flange 15b" engaged directly against the channel bracket flange 13c rather than against the channel bracket flange 13d as was shown 7 and described in connection with the structure's hown in FIGURE 2. With certain types of drawers or bins it has been found that the bin can .be more readily assembled with the channel bracket with le'ss difficulty where .ing to the leg 13a would be 3 inches long while the inclined leg corresponding to the leg 13e' would be 2% inches and disposed at a 20 angle with respectto the.

vertical leg.

I claim as my invention:

' the channel bracket is constructed in the manner illus- 1. In a shelving structure "a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising: a pair of uprights,

a series of channel bracket's' having means securing them to said uprights in vertically spaced relation,

each of said brackets haivng a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardlyfancl downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end, e

a series of vertically spaced rows of side by side mountedidrawers angled downwardly from said up rights with each drawer suspended from an upper 'end fromao'ne of said channelbrackets and. with each of saidjdrawers having a bottom and a' rear.

drawer flange projecting upwardly-fromthebottom,

'said rear drawer flange havingaverticaldimensionin excess era vertical distancefrorn azlower. edge of said drawer support flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket leg and with-the; bottoms of said drawers being "supportingly engaged on .said forwardly and downwardly sloped channelbracket legs 7 andwith" said rear d-rawer flange being engaged be a 4 .hind .said downwardly projecting drawer support flange, r and means attached to said rack and to said uprights for holding the uprights in an upright position-and against tipping due to the end suspension of said drawers on said channel brackets. 2. In a shelving structure a drawer rack for suspending'drawers: therefrom comprising: a pair of uprights, a series of channel brackets having means securing them to said uprights-in vertically spaced relation, each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end, 7 a series of vertically, spaced rows of side by side mounted drawers angled downwardly from said uprights with each drawer suspended from .an upper end from one of said channel brackets and with each of saiddrawers having a bottom and a rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom, said rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge'of said drawer support flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket. leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support flange, w N means attached to said rack and to saiduprights for holding the uprights in an upright position and against tipping due to the end suspensionof said M drawers on said channel brackets, a and means 'on each of said forwardly and downwardly projecting drawer support flanges for. reinforcing the same. against distortion due. to the load of said drawers. i 1 3'. In a shelving structure a drawer rack or suspending drawers therefrom comprising: a pair of uprights,

, a series of channel brackets having means securing them to said-uprights in vertically spacedrelation, each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper 1 each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting m1 bracket leg at its lower end, a series of. vertically spaced rows of side by side mounted drawers angled downwardly from said uprights with each. drawer suspended from an upper Ild'f1'OlT1fOHC of said channel brackets and with each of said drawers having a bottom and a rear drawer flangelprojecting upwardly from the bottom, said rearv drawerflange having a vertical dimension in excess of .a vertical distancefrom a lower edge of said drawer supportflange to said downwardly sloped channel'bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers 'being supportingly engagedon said forwardly and'downwardly sloped channel bracket .legsand with said'rear drawer flangebeing engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support fl v P means'attached to said rackand to said uprights for 1 holding the uprights -.in an upright position and ,against tipping due to .theend suspension of said s 1 drawers on said. channel brackets;

" drawers,

"saidmea'ns comprising a rolled under reinforcing bead,

' drawer f r p g. s 0f drawers tlrerefrom,.comprising; V V

a pairof'angular.uprights,; v 1 V aaseries of: generally 1J-sliaped channel brackets each same against distortion clue to the load of said having means securing its opposite ends to said angular uprights in vertically spaced relation,

each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end spaced below said downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange and enabling a rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support channel bracket flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket leg and with bottoms of said forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket legs being adapted to carry drawer bottoms thereon and with said downwardly projecting drawer support flange being adapted to receive a rear drawer wall therebehind,

and means projecting forwardly of lower ends of said uprights for holding the uprights in an upright po sition and against tipping due to the end suspension of said drawers on said channel brackets.

5. In a shelving structure, a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising:

a pair of uprights,

a series of channel brackets having means securing them to said uprights in vertically spaced relation,

each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support, channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end,

a series of drawers angled downwardly from said uprights and each suspended from an upper rear end from one of said channel brackets with each of said drawers having a bottom, sides and a rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom,

the rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support channel bracket flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange, the sides having an effective vertical dimension less than the rear drawer flange to enable the rear drawer flange to be freely connected behind said lower edge of said drawer support channel bracket flange without interference therefrom,

and means attached to said rack projecting forwardly of lower ends of said uprights for holding the uprights in an upright position and against tipping due to the end suspension of said drawers on said channel brackets.

6. In a shelving structure, a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising:

a pair of angles each having a pair of angle legs,

a series of channel brackets having means securing a base channel leg of each of them to one of said legs of each of said angles with said brackets disposed in vertically spaced relation on said angles,

each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end,

a series of forwardly and downwardly angled drawers each suspended from an upper end from one of said channel brackets with each of said drawers having a bottom and a rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom,

the rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support channel flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support flange, and means including a pair of foot brackets each attached to another one of said legs on said angles and projecting forwardly of said angles for holding the angles in an upright position and against tipping due to the end suspension of said drawers on said channel brackets. 7. In a shelving structure a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising:

a series of channel brackets having means securing them to said rack in vertically spaced relation,

each of said brackets having a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket leg at its lower end, and

a series of vertically spaced rows of side by side mounted drawers with each drawer suspended from an upper end from one of said channel brackets and with each of said drawers having its bottom and rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom,

said rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support flange to said downwardly sloped channel bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly and downwardly sloped channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support flange.

8. The shelving structure of claim 7 further characterized by said rear drawer flange being engaged directly against the downwardly projecting drawer support flange.

9. In a shelving structure a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising a series of sheet metal channel brackets having means securing them to said rack in vertically spaced relation, each of said brackets hav ing a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly extending channel bracket leg at its lower end, and a series of vertically spaced rows of side by side mounted metal drawers with each drawer suspended from an upper end from one of said channel brackets and with each of said drawers having a bottom and a rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom, said rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support flange to said forwardly extending channel bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly extending channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support flange.

10. In a shelving structure a drawer rack for suspending drawers therefrom comprising a series of sheet metal channel brackets having means securing them to said rack in vertically spaced relation, each of said brackets hav ing a downwardly projecting drawer support channel bracket flange at its upper end and a forwardly extending channel bracket leg at its lower end, and a series of vertically spaced rows of side by side mounted metal drawers with each drawer suspended from an upper end from one of said channel brackets and with each of said drawers having a bottom and a rear drawer flange projecting upwardly from the bottom, said rear drawer flange having a vertical dimension in excess of a vertical distance from a lower edge of said drawer support flange to said forwardly extending channel bracket leg and with the bottoms of said drawers being supportingly engaged on said forwardly extending channel bracket legs and with said rear drawer flange being engaged behind said downwardly projecting drawer support flange,

7 8 a said drawer having sides each having an effective vertical 2,661,993 12/53 Little 211134 dimension less than said rear drawer'flange for enabling f the rear drawer flange to be Supported by said down R I N PATENTS Wardly proiectingdrawer pp rfl j 349,186 5/31 Great Britain.

' 564,43s'='9/44' t 3' g References Cited by the Examiner 5 I 632,642, 12/61 g iida UNITED STATES PATENTS I W i et 1 l v A Prlmary Exanuner' 

1. IN A SHELVING STRUCTURE A DRAWER RACK FOR SUSPENDING DRAWERS THEREFROM COMPRISING: A PAIR OF UPRIGHTS, A SERIES OF CHANNEL BRACKETS HAVING MEANS SECURING THEM TO SAID UPRIGHTS IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION, EACH OF SAID BRACKETS HAVING A DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING DRAWER SUPPORT CHANNEL BRACKET FLANGE AT ITS UPPER END AND A FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY SLOPED CHANNEL BRACKET LEG AT ITS LOWER END, A SERIES OF VERTICALLY SPACED ROWS OF SIDE BY SIDE MOUNTED DRAWERS ANGLED DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID UPRIGHT WITH EACH DRAWER SUSPENDED FROM AN UPPER END FROM ONE OF SAID CHANNEL BRACKETS AND WITH EACH OF SAID DRAWERS HAVING A BOTTOM AND A REAR DRAWER FLANGE PROJECTING UPWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM, SAID REAR DRAWER FLANGE HAVING A VERTICAL DIMENSION IN EXCESS OF A VERTICAL DISTANCE FROM A LOWER EDGE OF SAID DRAWER SUPPORT FLANGE TO SAID DOWNWARDLY SLOPED CHANNEL BRACKET LEG AND WITH THE BOTTOMS OF SAID DRAWERS BEING SUPPORTINGLY ENGAGED ON SAID FORWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY SLOPED CHANNEL BRACKET LEGS AND WITH SAID REAR DRAWER FLANGE BEING ENGAGED BEHIND SAID DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING DRAWER SUPPORT FLANGE, AND MEANS ATTACHED TO SAID RACK AND TO SAID UPRIGHTS FOR HOLDING THE UPRIGHTS IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION AND AGAINST TIPPING DUE TO THE END SUSPENSION OF SAID DRAWERS ON SAID CHANNEL BRACKETS. 